The Princess
by EllieKae
Summary: King Ecbert's daughter is forced to marry Bjorn as part of their fathers' deal with each other. At first the princess is not satisfied with the arrangement, but once she discovers her new freedoms she can't help but embrace the Norse culture. Bjorn/OC with some Ragnar. One-shot turned fanfiction.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I am seriously considering turning this one-shot into a fanfiction. I would, of course, include all the hot guys like Rollo, Athelstan, Bjorn, and continue with Ragnar. I would want the fanfiction to show Hilda and her sexual awakening. This one-shot is the precursor to the story, and I just wanted to know if you guys would like me to continue. So let me know in the review section:)**

 **Warning: Sexual and Incestual Themes**

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"Miss Hilda, please do wake up. I have no time for your childish games." Elda pulled back the young princess's sheets causing the girl to reach for them once again while holding back a laugh. "King Ecbert is waiting on you Hilda; you must get up."

Hilda groaned and opened up her eyes. "Do I have to, Elda? Please don't make me go." The only response she got back from the servant was a glare. Hilda sat up in her bed and swung her legs out from underneath the covers.

"Come now, and I'll help you put on a dress."

The young girl made her way over to the old woman, her feet dragging across the floor. She held up her hands and Elda slipped the loose dress on over the girl. "Why does Father want to see me anyway? I thought he had business to attend to today."

Elda made a small noise, "Miss Hilda, you know I don't question the King's orders. How am I supposed to know what he would like to ask of you?"

Hilda sighed loudly and made a face while Elda tied her dress in the back. She always hated her visits with her Father, and she thought that today would be a day when she got a break from him. He has never requested to speak with her whenever he has business to attend.

"Come along dear." Elda lead the girl out of her chamber and down the hall. "He is waiting for you in his bathhouse."

Hilda refrained from rolling her eyes, _always in his ridiculous bathhouse._

Elda held the door open for the girl and let her walk in first. "King Ecbert, Princess Hilda."

Hilda watched as the old woman exited the room, leaving her alone with him. The girl turned her attention back to her father in the bath. "Yes Father, you requested my presence." Although, she precisely knew what he would say next. It had become a routine for them both, and one that wasn't exactly to her liking.

King Ecbert smiled at the girl. "Join me, will you?"

Hilda was already beginning to untie her dress before she slipped it off her shoulders and let it pool at her feet.

"Your body has grown into that of a woman, Hilda. However, you haven't yet found a suitable husband."

The girl sat at the edge of the bath and then slowly lowered herself into the waters. She had to admit; it was a perfect temperature. She could see why her Father liked to spend most of his time here.

Hilda was going to try to stay on the opposite side of the bath, but her father quickly caught on to her plan and gestured for her to come closer.

She sat down on the ledge next to her father, knowing what he was thinking about doing. He looked over at the girl and pushed her hair out of her face. King Ecbert looked down at her naked chest and took a deep breath, "You have such beautiful breasts, Hilda." He reached out toward her and rubbed his thumb over her nipple. Hilda tried desperately, like all the other times, to just think about something else.

Suddenly the door opened, and Hilda moved away from him. It would have been humiliating if someone of importance found her father's shameful hobby.

King Ecbert, I present you Ragnar Lothbrok." A tall man curiously walked into the room glancing around as if he was King. He seemed to exude confidence.

"Ah Ragnar, I'm so glad you're here. Please join me." Ragnar chuckled and then began to strip, all while looking directly into Hilda's eyes. Hilda wanted to look away but found his strikingly blue eyes fascinating. He lowered himself into the water and finally looked at Ecbert.

"Who is she?"

Hilda felt the heat rise to her cheeks and neck. She glanced over at her father, expecting him to be embarrassed too but he seemed quite the opposite.

"This is my daughter, Hilda." King Ecbert looked proudly over at his daughter though she couldn't seem to fight off her embarrassment.

"Ah, how old are you Hilda?" Ragnar had a strange voice. She could tell he was foreign. The man looked at her curiously, occasionally glancing at her bare chest.

Noticing his stares, the girl had trouble getting her words out, "I'm... I'm sixteen."

The man spoke with an odd melody in his voice, "So you are certainly a woman now. Are you married?"

Hilda shook her head and tried to hide her body the best she could without being obvious.

Ragnar made a kind of humming sound to confirm he understood her answer. Even though they had stopped talking, he continued to stare intently at her until King Ecbert interrupted.

"Go ahead, feel her breasts. They are marvelous." Hilda immediately looked over at her father out of shock but remained quiet.

Ragnar moved closer to the girl and placed a hand over her left breast. The whole time he continued to make eye contact with her, which in any other circumstance would have driven her to feel uncomfortable but if anything it lead her to feel better about the situation. Ragnar's other hand placed itself on Hilda's lower back and was beginning to creep down slowly. He squeezed harder on her breast and felt her nipple in between his fingers.

"Aren't they great?" King Ecbert was apparently becoming a bit impatient with Ragnar's touching.

Ragnar gave her the slightest hint of a smile and pinched her nipple before letting go. A wave of arousal pulsed through Hilda's body and before she could stop herself, she smiled. King Ecbert immediately gave her a glare, and the girl hid her grin the best she could.

"Okay Hilda, you must leave now. Business is no place for little girls." King Ecbert made a waving motion and refused to look at her. Hilda was instantly insulted for not only calling her a little girl but dismissing her presence as if she was a dog.

The girl was exiting the bath and beginning to put back on her dress when Ragnar spoke up. "She is a woman, is she not?"

Hilda felt her smile creep up on her once again, but she swiftly pushed it back down. The slight defiance that Ragnar exhibited was the first time she had ever seen someone do something like that to her father.

King Ecbert made the dismissive waving motion again, "I suppose." She could practically hear his frustration in his voice. H _e must want something from Ragnar._

The girl pulled on the rest of her dress and exited the bathhouse, for the first time feeling satisfied. She just hoped Ragnar wasn't a temporary visitor.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So I have decided to make this a Bjorn/OC story with Ragnar involvement (I haven't decided how much yet but I'm suspecting at least a sex scene). Though Bjorn is not now in the story, he will most likely be in the next chapter, and I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get out there. I've had it written for a while, I just never got around to editing and uploading, so sorry. This chapter is also shorter than the future ones will be (hopefully). Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy how the story is going so far; I love hearing comments from you guys whether good or bad!**

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 _…Months later…_

As you all know, today we significantly defeated the Northmen, making them cower like _little girls_." A loud applause broke out among the crowd and Hilda took the time to take a long swig of her wine. She watched as her father gloated in the applause. He continued with his boasting, obviously very proud of his victory while the girl caught Athelstan's eye from across the table and smiled lightly at him. He smiled back and took a drink from his wine, quickly darting away from her eye contact.

The former monk was a recent addition to the villa and one that the girl regarded with a certain fondness. She found herself, at night, hoping Athelstan would wander aimlessly into her chamber and make love to her again and again; though the thought was just a fantasy and Athelstan had little interest in the girl.

Hilda was dazed when her father called her name, "Hilda, please stand." The princess was confused as to why her father wanted her to stand before the feast but did so anyways.

King Ecbert gestured toward the princess, "My daughter has made a very generous offer to me. She has offered to marry one of these Northman, one of importance of course, in exchange for their employment as mercenaries in the capture of Mercia."

The crowd broke out in protest while Hilda remained stoic. The girl could feel her hands begin to tremble out of mostly anger.

King Ecbert raised his hands as if to surrender, "I think it's worth considering. These men are great warriors, and we have few too many soldiers to try to capture Mercia ourselves." The crowd began to die down, and Hilda started to glance at the exit. _She didn't want to be at this feast anymore_. The princess hastily pushed back her chair and made her way out of the dining hall. She could hear her father call after her, and the crowd all grow silent, but she ignored all of them. The girl immediately found her way to her chamber and threw herself down on the bed. She could feel the tightness in her throat when tears began to fall from her eyes. She didn't want to go to some foreign land with some foreign people where she wouldn't even know their language. Hilda wanted to stay in Wessex, even if it was boring and her father was a horrible human being.

The young girl placed her head in her elbow and sobbed while repeating her father's words over and over again in her head. After a while, she couldn't fight out any more tears and began to feel her anger take over her. _How dare he do this to her? She is his only daughter, and he wants her to marry some_ savage _pagan_. Hilda could feel her fist ball up when there was a knock at her door. After a few moments of the princess not moving to open the door, the person opened it anyway.

 _Athelstan._

"Excuse me, Princess Hilda, I apologize for intruding in your chamber. I just wanted to see if you are alright." The girl's thoughts flashed back to her continuous fantasy. This is it; it's finally happening. Hilda wiped her tears away from her face and tried to raise her chin like a lady is supposed to do.

"I could use some comfort." The girl tried to sound as casual as possible.

Athelstan entered the room farther and let the door close after him. "Well, I can offer you no heavenly comfort, but I can offer you my personal experiences with the Northmen." Athelstan continued to stare at the floor, occasionally glancing up, as he sat on the edge of the girl's bed, a few feet away from her.

Hilda nodded and patiently placed her hands in her lap. The girl couldn't help but notice the way his shirt dipped and revealed part of his chest; and the stubble on his chin and how she couldn't help but imagine what that would feel like against the inside of her thighs.

The former monk continued to tell her about his experience as Ragnar's slave and how compassionate the man was.

She tried to allow herself to be comforted by his words and experience but she couldn't shake the dread that filled her. The girl simply didn't want to leave, and she especially didn't want to get married. A thought crossed her mind that never occurred to her before; _What if she were to become pregnant?_ With her mother dying in childbirth, Hilda was most fearsome of pregnancy. She didn't want to die this young, as she was only sixteen.

Athelstan must have noticed her panic when he touched her arm gently, "What is wrong?"

Hilda opened her mouth to speak but held back her words out of fear of judgment, "nothing, I am fine." After a few moments of a concerned stare from Athelstan, Hilda looked up at him, "I think you need to leave."

The monk nodded respectively and left Hilda to her miserable imagination.

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 **A/N: Okay so that's it for this chapter. Remember to follow/favorite/review. It's appreciated, and if you write me a critical review (telling me what you like and what you don't like so far) I'll give you a shoutout in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This chapter is kind of short and a filler chapter, but next chapter will be a lot more interesting. Special thanks to DorkySoul, Slytherin Studios, and Lies of a Silver Tongue for the reviews. I really appreciate it; it definitely keeps me writing!**

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"It was terrible of your father to do that." Elda shook her head disapprovingly and continued to tie the corset in the back of her dress, "It's one thing to give away your daughter's hand in marriage without her consent, but it's a whole other thing to give her to a _pagan_." Elda pulled harder against the corset strings making Hilda step back to catch her balance. The girl placed her hand over her stomach, feeling a wave of dread run through her.

"You don't think they will be _that_ bad, do you?" Hilda tried to imagine how different it could be, opposed to her Anglo-Saxon lifestyle.

Elda made a sudden, disapproving noise, "Of course they are bad, they do not value life. I heard that they even sacrifice humans."

The thought of sacrifice made the girls stomach churn. _Would they ever sacrifice her for the sake of their gods?_ Hilda quickly dismissed the idea; Father would never allow that to happen.

Elda placed her delicate hands on the girl's shoulders and kissed her cheek, "May Christ be with you, Princess." Elda moved around the girl and began to walk toward the chamber door. "Come on Dear; it's time for the meeting."

Hello, my daughter, you look lovely this morning." King Ecbert placed his hand on the girl's lower back and pulled her toward him. Any witnesses would have seen this gesture as loving Fatherly touch, but Hilda knew it was much different from that.

"Hello, Father." Hilda looked down at her feet and approached the long meeting table. She sat down in a seat away from her Father, leaving room for her older brother.

Athelwulf sat down next to the young girl, excitedly, "So Sister, how many nieces and nephews are you going to give me?"

Hilda couldn't help but allow the mass amounts of disgust cross her face, "Hopefully none."

The young prince scoffed at his sister's remark, "And why is that? You are aware that producing heirs is your only duty as a princess, correct?"

Hilda shrugged her shoulders and continued to pick at her nails, "I suppose." Hilda was about to retort with a witty comment when a servant interrupted, announcing the arrival of the Northman.

King Ecbert raised his hands in delight, "Elda will you please go get the wine and make sure to bring plenty of chalices for our friends."

As Elda left the room, Ragnar and his group entered. They all stood vulnerable, without weapons, in the front of the King's meeting room. Almost immediately Hilda noticed the beautiful woman toward the front of the crowd.

"Ragnar, King Horik, Lagertha. I'm glad you have decided to come." King Ecbert stood and gestured for them all to sit.

Hilda's attention shifted to a certain blue eyed man who only sat a few feet away from the fidgeting girl. She could feel his stare on her. When the princess looked over at him, he was leaned back in his chair casually and had his head resting on his hand, still staring straight at her. Ragnar smirked at the sight of her reddened cheeks.

"I thought business is no place for little girls." Ragnar was now looking at King Ecbert who just smiled calmly back at him.

"Well, you see Ragnar that is what we came to talk about today."

Hilda looked down at her lap, almost embarrassed by the topic. The princess felt Athelwulf nudge her with his elbow but couldn't tell if it was by accident or not.

Before Ragnar could question more, Elda came into the room followed by other servants carrying chalices full to the brim of wine. After Elda served everyone their wine and Ragnar translated the little bit that King Ecbert said, he finally spoke in response, "So what is it that you want to talk about exactly?"

King Ecbert leaned forward excitedly and placed his hands on the table in front of him, "Well, I would like to employ some of your men as Mercenaries in the fight to capture Mercia." Ragnar conversed with his two partners in his northern tongue and then leaned forward, similar to King Ecbert.

"And what would we get in return?"

"My daughter's hand in marriage to your son, Bjorn, and your brother's safe return, of course." Ragnar glanced at the girl stoically before translating once again. Hilda heard her name, and Lagethera looked directly at her. Ragnar was just about to say something when the King interrupted him, "although I want their first-born."

At this comment, everyone in the room stared at King Ecbert with open mouths. Lagertha touched Ragnar's arm wanting him to tell her what he said. Ragnar whispered it, and the woman appeared to become uncomfortable.

"And how would having their first-born benefit you in any way?"

King Ecbert smiled casually, "assurance."

Ragnar took a deep breath, contemplating the decision, "If you include 200 pounds of gold, we have a deal." At this, Hilda looked up at her father's reaction; hoping greed would get the best of him and then call the whole deal off.

"200 pounds it is then." King Ecbert nodded so that the two who couldn't speak his language, could understand. King Horik immediately stood up and shook King Ecbert's hand, delighted they could make a deal. "We will have the wedding tomorrow. I am very interested in your pagan wedding rituals."

Everyone stood up, including Hilda. Athelwulf placed a supporting hand on his sister's upper back, "I will come to the wedding and then we will say our goodbyes there. Good luck, Sister."

Hilda nodded silently, knowing that the next day, her life would change forever.

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 **A/N: Once again, I'm sorry this chapter is so boring. I promise next chapter will be a lot more exciting, AND Bjorn will be introduced.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So I hope this isn't complete shit but at least it's long, so here you guys go. Happy Sunday. I've been very busy lately and haven't had a whole lot of time to write, so I don't know when I am going to have the next chapter out. This is a significant one though so maybe this can hold you guys out until then. Since this chapter has a "graphic" sex scene in it, then I am going to have to make the story M-rated now which kind of sucks but oh well. Anyways I hope you guys like it and remember to tell me what you think. Special thanks to those of you who reviewed the last chapter, I appreciate it very much:** Slytherin Studios, SleepySiren, Ai102

 **Underline = Character is speaking in Old Norse**

 **Warning: Sex Scene**

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In between heavy, reddening sobs, the princess reluctantly put on her wedding dress. "Elda, don't make me do this. Please."

Elda let out a loud sigh, "Hilda, you know I have no authority in whether or not you get married today." The girl let out another loud sob.

"What if he is brutish to me? Or what if he is repulsing? What am I to do then?"

Elda placed her small hands on the girl's tear-streaked cheeks, "Absolutely nothing. It is your duty as Princess. You must marry for the good of your country." Hilda stomped her foot and let out a small whine in frustration as if it would help the situation. "Now dear, you must let me tie your dress and fix your hair, you don't want to keep your future husband waiting." Hilda took a deep breath and tried to restrain her tears. She looked in the mirror and raised her chin, willing herself to stop crying. _This is for the good of the country._

As the princess approached the makeshift village, she spotted Ragnar along with his two companions, Lagertha and King Horik. The line of horses came to a halt as Ragnar held up his arms as if to welcome an embrace, "King Ecbert, Princess Hilda."

A soldier came around to help the princess dismount the horse. She placed her hands on his shoulders and slid off the horse's back, her feet making a thud against the ground.

King Ecbert approached Ragnar with a grin on his face, and his hand clasped in front of himself, "And where is my future son-in-law, Bjorn, is it?"

Ragnar's smile disappeared from his face for a moment, "He is having some problems, but he will be here for the wedding, I give you my word."

King Ecbert looked up at the sky disapprovingly, "Well it is a little after high noon, is it not? The wedding is in less than an hour."

Ragnar laughed, "Yes, of course, I will go retrieve him now."

Hilda approached her father's side and watched as the man walked away into a tent, not far away. The girl picked at the skin around her nails as they began to hear shouts passed back and forth in the northern language. The princess caught a small glimpse of her father rolling his eyes, before a large blonde-haired man stormed out of the tent, taking off toward the tree line. Ragnar soon came out of the tent, defeat plastered across his face, he calmly walked over to a man with long brown hair and whispered something to him, before the man took off in the direction of Bjorn.

Ragnar walked back over to the where the girl and the king were standing, "He will be back. In the meantime, I'm still expecting my brother."

King Ecbert raised his hands suddenly, "Of course, yes." The king gestured toward his group of men to bring the large bed of sort, carrying Ragnar's brother, and hand it over to the Northmen. Hilda couldn't help but watch as the soldiers moved the injured man into a tent. She could tell the man was still ill and needed immediate medical attention. Remembering the book of herbs her mother had, Hilda knew what she would need to help the poor man if she wanted to, but decided the Northmen didn't need nor want her help.

In the distance, Hilda could see the large brown-haired man and Bjorn making their way back into the village. She began to study his features as he got closer. He looked strikingly similar to his father, which made the princess a bit less reluctant about the marriage. She couldn't help but notice that she was already in her perfect wedding dress, yet her counterpart remained stained with dirt and mud.

"Ah, there he is." King Ecbert lovingly held out his arms to his future son-in-law.

Bjorn stared blankly at the King, a scowl passing over his face.

King Ecbert became hesitant with his words; he looked over to Ragnar, "Does he speak English?"

It was then Bjorn who interrupted, "I do."

After a few moments of silence the King finally spoke, "Well then, I suppose we have a wedding to attend.

Hilda reluctantly placed her hands in his. She could feel the tension pass between them. The girl desperately wanted to look up at her new husband but feared how he would look down at her. She could tell he hated her. He hated her, as much as she hated the marriage.

Bjorn brought the princess's hand closer to his body and placed the ring on her finger.

The Northern parallel of a priest called something out ceremoniously in the Norse language, and suddenly the girl had a pair of rough lips placed across hers. Her first instinct was to pull away, but she held the kiss knowing everyone was watching. As Bjorn pulled away, Hilda accidentally made eye contact. He was looking down at her, not in disapproving look, but almost a curious one. The man raised an eyebrow without smiling, "Congratulations Princess."

The ceremonial feast was livelier than the feasts Hilda had attended in Wessex. There were dancing and singing and fighting and drinking. The Princess was amazed by it all yet she refused to participate. Multiple times, a stranger would try to pull her into the crowd, but Hilda would shake her head and smile. Bjorn remained on the opposite side of the feast, as far as possible away from the Princess while still attending the ceremony. She would catch him staring sometimes, but he would quickly look away with a face of disgust. The Princess thought she would be the reluctant one, but apparently, her husband was far more reluctant to marry her.

"Princess, why do you not dance?" Hilda didn't have to look at the man to know whose voice spoke. Ragnar Lothbrok.

"Because I don't feel like it." Hilda continued to stare forward at the jolly crowd, content in her chair.

Ragnar plopped down in the chair next to her with a grunt; he stared at her oddly for a moment before saying something, "The King is expecting you and my son to dance and then proceed to consummate the marriage."

Dreading the latter, Hilda ignored it and instead addressed the dancing. "Well, what if I don't desire to dance with him."

"It is not about desire, Princess; it is about duty."

Hilda sighed loudly. _Duty, duty, duty_. _Why did everyone keep telling her this?_ The word nearly made her feel sick to her stomach. She slowly began to get up from her chair, in hopes something horrible would happen and she would be able to avoid her newly wedded husband, but instead she made her way through the thick crowd of people.

As the girl approached him, Bjorn set down his drink, curious as to what she has to say.

"My father wants us to dance and then proceed to the final ceremony," Hilda spoke plainly.

It took a minute for Bjorn to process her words before he held out his hand for her.

Hilda placed her small, dainty hand in his large, calloused one.

Bjorn pulled her closer to him and began to rock back and forth. He looked around at everyone else, seemingly disinterested in the girl in front of him, "I am in love with someone else." Bjorn pursed his lips and continued to dance with the girl, waiting for her reaction.

Hilda couldn't find the words to say and instead just stared at him blankly.

After a few moments, Bjorn continued, "She is a slave girl but I love her, and it does not matter what we must do tonight, my heart only goes to her."

Hilda could see the tension in her husband's shoulders and the words finally came to her. "I don't expect your heart to go to me. We are only pawns, Bjorn. I expect no more of you than what our fathers expect of us."

Bjorn looked down at his new wife with certain softness and wariness but didn't say anything in response.

The song came to an end, and everyone began to turn toward the couple, expecting them to make their way to the tent. Ragnar approached the two, with King Ecbert not far behind. The two fathers led the couple to the ceremonial tent, the crowd of people followed closely behind, torch light in hand. Hilda felt a wave of nerves rush through her, making her stomach drop. She had forgotten that it was the tradition for a selected few to confirm the newlyweds consummate their marriage, as she had never attended a wedding herself. The Princess glanced up at Bjorn out of the corner of her eye and noticed that he didn't seem nervous at all. _Maybe it is normal for Northmen to make love under other's watch._

As they approached the tent, everyone stopped except for Ragnar. He held the tent entrance and gestured for the just the Princess to enter.

Hilda could feel everyone's eyes on her. She glanced up at Bjorn who was looking at her expectantly. The girl stepped forward and slipped into the opening only to be greeted by Lagertha.

The shield maiden gave the girl a warm smile before placing her hands on the princess's shoulders, "May Freyja bring you fertility."

Confused by the northern language, Hilda just nodded, not knowing at all what the woman had said.

Lagertha walked around the girl and began to untie her dress.

Hilda could feel her heart start to speed up. Every single time she thought about making love with Bjorn, thoughts about her only sexual experiences came back to her. And they were not ones she wanted to remember. The girl closed her eyes tight and tried to think about her duty as princess. She could feel the dress begin to slip off her shoulders and moved so that it would pool at her feet.

Lagertha waved at the girl to come lie down on the bed, and Hilda did as asked. She felt a bit odd, lying in the nude on top of all the furs, waiting for her husband to enter the tent. As Lagertha left, Bjorn came in. He looked over at her naked body and began to undress. Not once did his stare stray from Hilda. When he took off his pants, the girl couldn't help but stare out of curiosity, though she knew he was doing the same to her body. Bjorn's clothes scattered the floor, as he approached the girl cautiously, "You are a virgin, correct?"

"Hilda looked up at the tall man and nodded, not being able to speak. She felt the bed creak as he put his weight on it.

Bjorn knelt at the end of the bed, near her feet, "You don't have to be nervous, I will be gentle." His hand began to ascend her leg, tickling the skin that he touched. He placed his hands under each of her thighs and dragged her closer to meet his hips.

The cold air and his warm touch created a sensation Hilda had never felt before.

And it was one that she enjoyed.

A lot.

Bjorn lightly caressed her stomach with his fingertips, observing her porcelain skin and its slight translucency.

Hilda watched as he leaned forward, putting a hand next to her dark hair, sprawled out across the furs. His other hand went down to himself and then she felt him touch her, positioning himself at her entrance. Bjorn looked at her for a moment before looking back down to where their bodies met.

Suddenly, she could feel him push in, and a stinging sensation overwhelmed her entire body. She let out a noise of discomfort and stared up at the ceiling, past her husband. He didn't move but remained completely buried inside her. He made eye contact with her, making sure she was okay, before going again very slowly.

With each slow but deep thrust, Hilda was beginning to feel the pleasure and seemingly less pain. Bjorn rolled onto his elbows, forcing their bodies to rub together, with each movement. They both were breathing heavily, occasionally letting out small moans, when Bjorn began to quicken the pace. Soon he collapsed on top of the girl, his face in her hair. She could feel him throb inside of her and knew he had achieved what he was supposed to. Exactly what their fathers wanted.

After a few moments, Bjorn pulled out of the girl and rolled over to the side. He grabbed one of the many furs and wrapped it around his waist, getting up to walk toward the entrance of the tent. Hilda curiously watched as he stuck his head outside and said something in his native language and then came back to sit on the bed.

Suddenly, Ragnar entered the tent. Hilda scrambled to cover herself but did very poorly at it. Ragnar chuckled at the girl's discomfort before approaching the bed. Bjorn conversed with his father and pointed at the bright blood stain on the sheet. Ragnar patted his son's back proudly and then exited the tent, leaving the two on their own.

Bjorn climbed back into bed, but with his back turned to the princess. He muttered something that sounded like a goodnight and curled up into a pillow.

Hilda placed the warm furs over her and turned the opposite way from Bjorn. The girl didn't bother to say goodnight and instead just closed her eyes and hoped to God she didn't become pregnant.

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 **A/N: Remember to review, and I'll give you a shout out. It's what keeps me writing.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Okay so I know this took me an incredibly long time to get out, and I am very sorry about that. Also, this chapter is pretty boring, but the next one will be much more interesting since they will be arriving in Kattegat. I partly think the reason it took me so long to write this, is because how boring it is, so sorry once again. I do want to say thank you to all who have reviewed Chapter 4 as they kept me going and not abandoning this story:** SleepySiren, Nirvana14, Slytherin Studios, Lux'.'Nox.512, Ai102, Littledot, KCYB22, Soccer-Bitch, Angel-Maree, Belladonna007, OneForTheRoad, Guest(Dec 3, 2015), mystic twilight princess, Shieldmaiden Sigyn, non of ur business sorry, Elvira Silver, Guest (Jan 3), MinhaJubsFavorita, and Jillian **. I also wanted to say special thanks for the long and excellent review from** Eserechia.

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Hilda twirled the flower in between her thumb and forefinger before leaning down and searching the ground once again. The girl had snuck away in the early morning to explore the nearby forest for some healing herbs. She had thought she was completely alone and was startled when a familiar voice rang through the air.

"Princess Hilda, my dear. The boats are leaving soon, and you weren't planning on leaving without saying goodbye, were you?"

The girl's face immediately lit up at the sound of the old woman's voice.

"Elda!" Hilda nearly dropped everything she had collected over the past hour and quickly ran over to her dear friend. She embraced the servant with as much force as she could muster. "I was scared I would never see you again."

The frail woman gently stroked the young girl's hair, her nails brushing against her scalp. "Are you alright? How is your pagan husband? Is he a brute?"

Hilda hesitated to answer the woman's questions. She desperately wanted to tell her how Bjorn was in love with a mere slave and how she would have to be alone and unwanted for the rest of her life, but decided against it, knowing that Elda had always been judgmental. "He could be worse."

Elda pulled back and studied the girl's face to tell if she was telling the truth. The girl was telling her the truth, just not the whole truth. The old woman smoothed Hilda's hair over her ears, "Alright." Elda turned around and began walking back toward the small village, "Come along, dear, your brother is waiting to say his goodbyes also. I, unfortunately, don't get to keep you all to myself."

The princess wrapped the herbs she had collected in a cloth and placed it in a small bag she had taken from the messenger boy, before following the woman out of the tree line and into the buzzing little village the Northmen built.

"Will you come to visit in the spring, when we attack Mercia?"

Hilda nodded, releasing her brother from a hug. "Yes, I believe so."

Athelwulf let his hand brush over her stomach for a quick second, "And you will be with child, correct?"

Hilda attempted a smile, despite her inner feelings, "Yes, I suppose I will; if everything goes as planned, of course."

Before the young man had anything to say back, their father stepped in. He placed a hand on his son's shoulder, dismissing him elsewhere while locking eyes with the princess. Athelwulf stepped away, giving his sister a friendly smile.

"Hilda, I am sorrowful to see you go." Her father's smile made a chill run down her spine. "Though it is imperative we form well connections with these Northmen. And your child…your child will be the proof of this." Hilda could feel the tension grow in her shoulders. King Ecbert wrapped his hands around the girl's narrow frame. "And you must do whatever it takes to make this happen… for Wessex." King Ecbert squeezed the girl once more before letting go and walking away.

Hilda forced herself to put a smile on her face as she waved goodbye to her brother and Elda. As the princess turned away from the two, she felt a wave of nausea pass through her. Suddenly she felt the metallic taste in the back of her throat and knew she was about to vomit. The girl rushed over to the water line and felt her organs contract inside her body. Catching her breath, she pushed back her hair and wiped her mouth with her hand. As the girl came back up from her bent over position, she looked around at her audience. Everyone's eyes were on her, but one blue pair stood out. "Princess, was that your first dose of morning sickness?" Ragnar's voice echoed through the silent crowd. The girl's eyes flickered between the people. Luckily, after Ragnar's comment, the people appeared satisfied and went on with what they were doing, leaving Hilda to her own accord.

Hilda glanced back at Elda, who gave her a final wave before she boarded the ship. Finding a small space in the back of the boat, Hilda wrapped a fur blanket around herself and sat down. She looked out across the gray ocean, wondering how long it would take to get to the Northman's village when she heard a groan come from beside her. The girl glanced over to find Ragnar's brother, tossing and turning in his sleep. She looked down at the huge gash across his chest and then at her herbs, considering helping him as he was seemingly coming down with a fever. Hilda quickly dismissed the thought, _the Northmen would ask for her help if they needed it._

The girl was startled out of her thoughts, as Bjorn sat down next to her. He stared straight ahead and just sat in silence. Hilda, still expecting him to start talking, continued to eye him. After a few moments, Bjorn took in a sharp breath and finally met her gaze. His eyes darted across her entire body before looking back out across the ocean.

He opened his mouth to speak. "I enjoyed our wedding night and If I didn't have a girl back in Kattegat, I would like to enjoy you again."

Hilda blue eyes turn to ice as she shot him a glare, angered by his sense of righteousness. With a fake pep in her voice, the girl stared at him, "why don't you just have us both?"

Bjorn gaped out of confusion or shock, she wasn't sure of which. He shook his head and looked away from her icy glare. "It wouldn't be right to occupy you both."

Hilda shocked herself, as she accidentally let out a scoff. The girl quickly peered over at her husband, scared of his reaction, but he only pursed his lips and got up, moving to a wooden bench intent on rowing. Hilda let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and laid against the side of the boat, letting her eyes grow dull and eventually fell asleep.

Later that night, Hilda was awoken by her blanket moving off of her slightly. The girl opened her eyes to find Ragnar sitting next to her. He leaned back on his elbows and cocked an eyebrow at her, not saying anything. After a few seconds of silence, Ragnar sat back up and pushed a piece of hair out of her face, "Are you sore?"

Hilda eyed the man cautiously. He moved a little closer, and the girl felt her heart begin to race.

"I can make you feel better, Princess, if my son is not doing a good job."

Hilda felt the heat rise to her cheeks, "He...He is doing a good job," the princess assured him.

Ragnar chuckled and brushed his hand against her lower back, "If you say so, Princess Hilda." The man got up from his seat, and Hilda instantly pulled her blanket back over her.

* * *

It had been days since they set sail and Hilda could slightly smell the infection in Ragnar's brother gash. She debated for a long time on whether to help him or not but decided she didn't want to be bothered by his infection anymore. Making her way over to him, the girl felt her stomach drop, suddenly wondering if he was even alive. But as she got closer to him, she realized that he was breathing, just shallowly. The girl began to doubt whether her herbs would even help him.

Hilda nudged his arm with her foot, making the man's eyes flutter open. She kneeled down next to him so he could see her better. The girl pointed to herself dramatically, "Hilda" and then looked at him expectantly, hoping he would get the message despite their language barrier.

She could tell he was in pain as he couldn't seem to keep his eyes open. Through his teeth, the man said his name, as she assumed. _Rollo_. Hilda would have said more, but she figured there wasn't really a point. The girl noticed a bucket full of water with a slightly dirty rag in it, where someone must have been cleaning his wounds. She took the cloth and wrung it out, knowing that she wouldn't be able to find a cleaner one. Quickly, she cleaned his wounds, making sure to get every spec of dirt out of his gash. By the time she had finished, he was sweating and shaking.

Hilda noticed Rollo's long hair was underneath him and only getting more matted with his sweat. She moved around to his head and tried to pull his hair out from underneath him, but without him moving a bit, there was no way she would be able to get it out. "I need you to sit up a bit." She knew he couldn't understand her, but she was hoping maybe he would hear her voice and understand that she wants him to move. Rollo took three deep breaths before sitting up quick enough for her to pull his long, matted hair out from underneath him. The girl fanned out his hair knowing that that will increase his comfort.

"There, all better." Hilda smiled at the man and came back around to his side. He was breathing very heavily and letting out small groans of pain. Rinsing out the rag, she folded it up and placed it over his forehead hoping it would cool him down and somehow ease his suffering. Hilda took out the small bag of herbs she had, picking out the ones for him to chew. "Here chew these." Hilda pushed three leaves into his mouth, and he began to crush them between his teeth. She grabbed a handful of the herbs left in her bag and got them a little wet before applying them to his gash. He winced for a second but recovered quickly. "I will take these off in a few hours." Rollo looked at her blankly, and Hilda returned back to her blanket, glancing back at the man. She hoped he didn't die but most of all, she hoped that horrid smell would go away.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry if this sucked, the next one will be better, I promise. Please remember to follow/favorite/review. Hopefully, I will be able to get the next chapter out sooner than this time, but there is no guarantee, life sometimes just gets in the way.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry this took so long guys! I sincerely apologize, but hey, at least this chapter is super long. I kind of abandoned it for a little bit, but I recently caught up on Vikings and was inspired to finish chapter 6. For a long time, I didn't know what I was going to do in this chapter and ended up writing an entire first draft, then hating it and trashing all of it. Only to do this a few more times. So that explains why it has been so long, so once again sorry about that but I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **Thank you to all who have reviewed and I very much appreciate it:** ** _HermioneandMarcus, sassygirl9811,Belladonna007, PruRose, OneForTheRoad, Anon (Feb 20), Nirvana14, AATTALWAYS, AngelMaree, CaptainAmericanna, SleepySiren, Kima Wolfwood, vickcat99, Guest (Mar 29), amore1993, Soccer-Bitch, elijahsgirl96, Guest (Apr 15), Guest (Apr 17), Guest (Apr 28), Guest (May 22), Fire-heart, and Mia._**

 **Reminder:** **Underline = Norse language**

 **Warning: Graphic Content.**

 **TW: Blood, Gore.**

* * *

Hilda woke up to the sound of water splashing and men yelling. She quickly got up, scared that something bad was going on. Frantically looking around, the girl realized that they were approaching a small village. _Kattegat_. Hilda couldn't help but smile as she saw men jump the boat and wade through the water to embrace their loved ones. Ragnar quickly hopped onto the dock and tied the ship down, making it stable enough to start unloading. Everyone stood up and stretched, grabbing crates of food and treasures. Hilda followed suit, except she went over to Rollo. His condition had improved due to the herbs, but he still was in too poor of condition to walk by himself. As the girl leaned down and grabbed Rollo's arm to put over her shoulder, she saw another person lean down to do the same. Hilda glanced up to find her husband. Bjorn met her eyes and then continued with helping lift Rollo, not saying a word.

As the two made it up the dock and laid Rollo down on the grass, a woman's shrill voice rung through the crowd as she caught sight of Ragnar's brother and the unsightly, healing wound across his chest. Hilda glanced at Bjorn's reaction and figured that he knew her.

"Siggy — "

"What happened?" The woman kneeled down next to Rollo. Hilda guessed that she was his wife, seeing that she had concern all over her face.

"He is fine. He is healing. Bjorn placed his hands on his hips, admiring his uncle.

After a few moments of checking to make sure he was alright, Siggy stood up and glanced at Hilda expectantly, "And you are?" Hilda shook her head and looked to Bjorn for help, but it was Rollo who spoke.

"This is King Ecbert's daughter and Bjorn's new wife, Hilda." Hearing her father's name, her name, and Bjorn's name all in one sentence, she easily assumed that he was introducing her to the woman. Siggy seemed surprised, but she smiled and opened her arms to embrace the girl. Hilda thought that the woman was a little older than Rollo, which was odd and a rarity in her culture. The girl leaned forward and embraced the woman. She had a gentle, comforting touch that sadly reminded her of Elda.

Hilda caught a small glimpse of Rollo through Siggy's hair and noticed that he was looking particularly pale. "Bjorn, we need to get —." The girl had turned around to face her husband and quickly realized he was gone. Bjorn had already disappeared, leaving her to navigate the foreign village by herself. Panicking for a small second, Hilda began searching the crowds of Northmen in hopes that she would find him but only found Athelstan, who she knew would be able to help her. Worried for Rollo, the girl glanced back at him to see if he was doing alright and noticed that Siggy was already gathering him to bring him home.

Hilda turned back to Athelstan, making sure to grab his attention before he walked off.

"Athelstan!"

The man furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, before realizing it was the princess who had called him. "Yes, Princess Hilda?" Though she wasn't technically a princess anymore, everyone still seemed to call her that, and she certainly didn't mind.

The girl paused, unsure of what to ask. "Would you mind showing me where I'm supposed to live? It seems I have lost Bjorn."

The priest nodded his head, waving her along, "It's this way."

Hilda caught up with the man as they began to walk through the small village. She hoped her house wouldn't look the rest of the houses in the village, as they didn't look very stable nor clean. The two passed by a group of men, who were obviously excited about their return and shouting in their native tongue. Longing to understand them and their cries of joy, Hilda began to think of an idea.

"Athelstan?" She paused and waited for him to meet her eyes. "Do you think you could teach me a part of their language?" The man didn't immediately respond so she kept talking, hoping to convince him, "I just want to be able to communicate with people other than you, Bjorn, and Ragnar."

The girl hadn't realized she was watching the ground until she had to look back up to see his reaction. Luckily, he had a small smile on his face.

"Yes, I suppose I can teach you before dinners."

Hilda smiled to herself and softly thanked the priest.

It wasn't long until they were at the doors of the Earl's house. It was, unfortunately, similar to the other houses, but did have a small sense of wealth to it that the princess appreciated.

As soon as the two walked into the front room, Hilda could begin to feel the tension. Ragnar and a beautiful, red-haired woman were standing heatedly, facing each other. Ragnar had his back to them both and hadn't quite realized someone had come in.

"You made her a free woman?" The way Ragnar spoke through his teeth with such anger and hate, scared the girl. She had never seen him talk that way to anyone, especially not a woman.

The woman didn't pay much attention to Hilda and Athelstan, focused on Ragnar, "How was I supposed to know that you were going to make Bjorn a husband?"

Hilda leaned over to Athelstan as quietly as she could, desperately wanting to know what the quarrel was about,"What are they saying?"

Ragnar's head snapped around as soon as he noticed the girl overhearing him. Hilda's heart sank in her chest, terrified of the man's rage. His face softened as he glanced at her. "Where is Bjorn?" After a few moments of silence, Ragnar charged for her, grabbing her arm, and dragging her out of the door.

"Let go of me." The princess tried to remove her arm from his grasp, but he didn't let go. Instead, he picked her up by her hips and set her down roughly on a horse, before jumping on behind her. "Ragnar! Where are you taking me?"

Ragnar rolled his eyes at the girl and maintained his fast speed toward the tree line.

Hilda nearly got hit by a tree branch multiple times as they rode through the forest. Finally, they came upon a clearing with tall, yellow grass. Ragnar started to slow down, and Hilda thanked the heavens. At first, she didn't realize why he took her there but then she saw why. Through the grass, the girl could catch a small glimpse of Bjorn's bareback. Hilda watched in horror as Ragnar ran over to Bjorn and jerked him upwards into a half kneeling, half standing position.

"Father!" Hilda was surprised to see Bjorn not even make an attempt to cover his nakedness. The girl leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the slave girl. She had her arms crossed protectively over her bare chest. For a small second, the two made eye contact before Hilda quickly looked away. Not being able to resist, the girl looked back at the mysterious slave. There was something about her that reminded the princess of fire, though she couldn't put her finger on what made her seem like that.

Turning back to Ragnar, Hilda watched as his face turned red. He was yelling in Norse, pushing Bjorn backward every few seconds, making him stumble. Bjorn only took the punishment, refusing to push back. Ragnar stared down his son, before suddenly turning and grabbing the slave girl by the arm, just as he did with Hilda back in the village. He placed the girl on his horse and took his seat behind her, before riding off toward Kattegat.

Bjorn made a small, annoyed sound before retrieving his pants and sliding them on one leg at a time. Hilda was still in shock. She didn't know what to say about the whole situation. Avoiding Bjorn's nakedness, the girl began to zone out, her thoughts rambling inside her head. Suddenly, her mouth spoke before she could even process it.

"A man has made a proposition to me." Her face became red realizing what she just told her husband but recovered shortly, adding on to her statement to let him know that she meant to say it. "A sexual one I mean."

Bjorn raised his eyebrows and then looked down at his pants, tying the string around them. "I think you should accept it."

Hilda didn't say anything. Instead, she watched his face for hidden emotions. The girl could tell he was clenching his jaw but other than that; his face remained stoic. She spun around and began walking toward the village. Hilda could hear his heavy footsteps approaching her. Suddenly he was by her side.

"So who is this man?"

Hilda nearly laughed in his face. Your Father. "No one that matters."

* * *

His lips puckered and made an odd noise.

Hilda promptly made the same shape with her lips and horrendously attempted to make the same sound.

Athelstan burst out into a laugh, "You sound like a dying horse."

Hilda laughed along with him, "Oh Athelstan, I have hopes this will become easier with time." The priest assured her it would.

The great hall was already beginning to fill with villagers waiting for their main meal. Hilda noticed Bjorn had entered and was staring directly at Athelstan as if he just watched him commit a crime. She watched her husband from the corner of her eye. He was mad, jealous even.

Since Hilda was sitting so close to Athelstan, she casually placed a hand upon his chest and ran her fingers through the little bit of hair, "Thank you, Priest, for taking the time to teach me today."

The man's eyes widened at her advancement, but she didn't care about his reaction. She knew something like this would have never passed in Wessex. She would have been stoned to death by her husband for the simple implication of flirting, but here, she was free to do as she pleased, as was her husband. Getting up from the bench, Hilda took her seat next to Bjorn at the Earl's private table.

Bjorn took a bite of bread before talking with a mouth full, "Is it Athelstan? The man who made the proposition?"

Hilda took her time answering the question knowing it would piss him off. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Ragnar took his seat next to her. She stared at him for a few moments, before turning back to her husband, "Does it matter?"

Suddenly she heard a huge, loud clanking noise. Bjorn had thrown his chalice across the dining hall, nearly hitting an old villager in the head. "I deserve to know who wants to fuck my wife!"

Hilda's heart was pounding the most it ever had. She waited for his hand to raise, fear pumping through all of her veins.

"Sit down Bjorn." Ragnar's voice was small but firm.

Bjorn sat down in his chair, making unnecessary noise as he went.

Luckily, the topic didn't come up again, and everyone continued with their dinner. After everyone had been done eating, Aslaug began talking to everyone at the table, though Hilda couldn't understand anything she was saying. She was zoning out, pushing around the leftover scraps, when she suddenly felt a hand on her inner thigh. The girl expected to look down and find her husband's hand but instead found that of the Earl's. Worried that someone would see, she glanced around the table. Everyone was intently listening to Aslaug, and the table cloth covered Ragnar's hand.

Hilda looked over at Ragnar. He had his chin resting on his other hand and appeared to be listening to his wife, though she could see him look at her playfully from the corner of his eye. The girl picked up her drink and placed it to her lips, hiding her smile. Then a sudden movement caught her attention as someone came stumbling through the great hall.

"Earl Ragnar! It's Torstein. He is dead."

For a small second, everyone was silent. Bjorn made the first sound, kicking back his chair, to follow the man outside. The room burst into a loud buzz, shocked by the recent news. Ragnar jumped up to follow his son, but Hilda quickly caught his arm. She looked up at him, refusing to stay, "I'm coming with, I can help." Ragnar hesitated but soon nodded, allowing the princess to get up from her seat. He strode out the door as she quickly grabbed her messenger bag full of herbs and ointments.

When she first entered the cold night, she could not see anyone in sight. Which direction had Ragnar gone? Hilda stood completely still and suddenly heard some noise in the distance. The girl pursued the sound and was grateful to come across familiar faces. Ragnar was standing with his hands on his hips, staring at the corpse while Bjorn was furiously pacing back and forth. Hilda took a step toward the two, catching Bjorn's attention. He threw his hands up and made a noise in frustration, "Why did you bring her?"

Hilda took a few steps forward this time, getting close to Bjorn. She lifted up her bag, "I can help. That is why he brought me." Not waiting for his reaction, the girl kneeled next to Torstein. She placed a finger underneath his nose. Hilda thought she could feel his breath. However, it was extremely light and could have easily been the wind. She placed her head over his heart, trying to hear a sound. As she was listening, something in his hand caught her eye. The girl swiftly investigated the mysterious substance in his hand. She held up the small brown piece, inspecting it. "It's a mushroom." Hilda thought back to her mother's book and all the different kinds of mushrooms there were. She hesitated as one type of rare mushroom came to her "I suspect it's a Death Cap mushroom."

"So he is dead?" Bjorn spit impatiently.

Hilda shook her head, "I didn't say that. I believe he is in a coma." She was pretty confident that her mother wrote about this particular mushroom. The fungus was only retrievable in limited areas, such as a dense forest. Hilda glanced at the man who found him in his state. "Do you know if he went out to the woods today?"

The man thought about it for a few seconds but denied it, "No, he was with me today. He was helping me balance my sword."

Ragnar moved forward, "Why would it matter?"

"These types of mushrooms are only found in the forest. Someone must have given him them."

A few moments passed, as they all contemplated the idea that someone had given him the mushrooms, and most likely knew the consequences of ingesting them.

"We need to hide him, he was meant to be dead," Bjorn spoke calmly. At this point, he seemed more curious than angry. He looked at his wife. "We will need to keep him in our chambers."

"That's fine." Hilda wasn't sure if he was asking permission, but she allowed it anyways.

* * *

Hilda buried herself in the fur, freezing from the cold draft. She glanced over Bjorn's bare shoulder at Torstein lying near the fire. At least the likelihood of Bjorn trying to make love to her lowered with his friend in the room.

"Hilda." The quiet voice shocked her as she was under the impression her husband was asleep. Hilda searched through the darkness to find Bjorn's eyes. "You are not with child are you?"

Hilda cautiously shook her head. She had figured this out on the voyage to Kattegat.

Bjorn sighed loudly and turned onto his back. He stared up at the ceiling, "You know, if we arrive in Wessex next spring and you are not with child, your father might decide to sever the alliance."

Hilda stayed silent. Severing the alliance didn't sound that bad to the girl. At least then she could go home. Though ultimately she knew that meant the death of hundreds of people.

"We must keep trying to have a child."

Hilda expected him to make a move on her, flipping her over and taking what he wanted but he didn't. Instead, he just waited for her reaction. "I know but please, not tonight."

Suddenly she felt his arms wrap around her and pull her close to his body. _Why would he wait for me to say no before forcing himself on me_ , she thought to herself. Hilda punched against his chest and tried to wiggle out of his grasp. "Let me go!"

Bjorn squeezed her tighter, and a monotone sound rumbled through his chest, "I'm cold."

Hilda quickly realized he wasn't trying to force himself on her; he just wanted some body heat. She let out a small giggle, "Oh." She didn't realize how much of a difference a few inches could make. Soon, the girl drifted off between fur and strong arms.

Later that morning, Hilda's eyes fluttered open at the sound of the door shutting. She lifted her head to get a better look. It was Bjorn. She hadn't realized why she had been so cold until she saw that he had been absent. The girl snuggled up in the furs trying to get warm again. "Where were you?" Hilda asked as she watched him sit down at the edge of the bed.

"I was fishing." Bjorn seemed annoyed at the question.

Hilda thought about apologizing for asking but decided she just won't ask again.

There was a silence as Bjorn changed into longer pants. Hilda watched with dull curiosity. As he begun to tie them to his waist, Hilda looked over at their unconscious guest. "He still has vomit on his shirt. You should give him one of yours, wash him up a bit. I'm sure he won't want to wake up to dirt and his own vomit." Hilda giggled at the last part, throwing back her blankets and moving her legs off the bed.

"Why can't you do it?" Bjorn had a scowl plastered across his face.

Hilda stepped into one of her dresses. "Because I'm not his friend." The girl walked past her husband and placed her feet into her slippers, grabbing her messenger bag next to the door. "Also, I have to go check in on your uncle to make sure he is doing alright." Hilda opened the door and left before he had a chance to argue.

The girl walked through the great hall in hopes to find Athelstan and was pleasantly surprised when she did just that. "Athelstan! Do you think you can come with me to see Rollo? I can't understand a word he says."

Athelstan didn't have a shirt on, and Hilda noticed. She remembered how she used to fantasize about him and that little bit of hair on his chest. Things had changed so much since she had that little crush. Athelstan was no longer the target of her fantasies. At that moment, Ragnar walked into the room and Hilda nearly blushed.

Ragnar stopped in his path and looked the girl up and down. "Hello, Princess." He smirked slightly, knowing his power over her.

Athelstan stepped forward and replied to her request, "Yes, I'll go with with you, just let me finish up here." Hilda caught Athelstan's glare at Ragnar as he turned around in the Earl's direction. She wondered if it was Athelstan's protective spirit stepping in, but whatever it was Hilda knew she enjoyed it.

* * *

Hilda opened the door to her and Bjorn's chambers to see Torstein awake and well. He and Bjorn were sitting in chairs around the fire pit talking in a hushed voice. Both of their faces brightened up as she entered the room. "Torstein, you're alive! Are you feel—" Hilda felt for her messenger bag but soon realized she had left it at Rollo's house. "Oh, I forgot my medicines. I will be back in a little while." As the girl turned on her heel, she heard Bjorn frantically shout after her.

Hilda slowed as she saw her husband jump up from his seat.

"No, you can't go!"

"Why not?" A scowl crossed the girl's face. Was he seriously becoming jealous of his uncle too?

Bjorn pursed his lips out of reluctance which only made the girl more curious. "It's dangerous out there."

Hilda scoffed at this and pretended to start to leave. She grasped the door, and Bjorn caught her wrist.

"Tell me," Hilda looked up into Bjorn's eyes with an absolute firmness.

Bjorn took a deep breath, "King Horik is planning an attack on Ragnar."

Hilda let go of the door but continued her stare at Bjorn, wanting more information.

"He believes Ragnar is becoming too powerful. He has already turned some against him."

"Who?" Hilda glanced over at Torstein for a second.

"Floki. That is who gave the mushrooms to Torstein."

Hilda didn't know Floki that well, but the impression she got of him was not one of a traitor.

"Are you sure?" Hilda made eye contact with Torstein.

The man nodded.

"We should make Ragnar aware of this."

Bjorn nodded in agreeance, "I will tell him."

"I need to check out Torstein. I wasn't expecting him to ever wake up from this coma."

"I will be back." Bjorn placed a small kiss on her forehead. Hilda was taken aback at first. It was such an odd thing for him to do. It was almost a loving gesture, but Hilda knew there was no love there.

Hilda nodded her head and watched as Bjorn exited the room. The girl turned to Torstein, finally getting out the question she meant to ask earlier, "How are you feeling?" She cautiously moved toward him, examining him for any signs of life-threatening conditions. His skin had a yellowish tint to it.

Torstein talked in his usual Norse tongue, "I feel fine."

Hilda looked into his eyes to see if he was lying to her, "You should be dead. The Death Cap mushroom leads to death most of the time."

Torstein thought this was funny. Hilda immediately started to question her words. Maybe she said something wrong. She rethought about them and decided she said what she meant. Hilda began to laugh along with Torstein. "Did you really think they were the psychedelic mushrooms?"

Torstein nodded his head, a grin still on his face.

Hilda watched as his smile turned to a scowl, as loud noise erupting from the entrance of the chambers. Time slowed, as Erelander and three men stormed into the room, blood saturating their faces. _Could that be Bjorn's blood?_ An arrow shot through the air from Erelander's bow and landed in Torstein's shoulder. The large man was thrown to the ground by its force.

Hilda's eyes grew wide. She had no fighting experience. She had no need for it until now. The three men began to advance, and Hilda knew she had to react or she would die. The girl got up from her seat on the stool and picked it up, legs out, hoping it would deter the men from advancing further.

Erelander raised his bow, aiming at her heart.

A thought came to the girl, and she responded immediately. She threw the stool at Erelander, forcing him to make a choice: either catch it or let it hit his face. The boy took hold of the stool, dropping his bow in the process. Not wasting a second, Hilda turned and searched for a real weapon. She saw it. A sword leaned against the wall in the corner of the room. Only having a few seconds before Erelander's accomplices reached her with their swords, Hilda grasped the hilt of the sword in her hand. She tried to pick it up, but the metal weighed more than she was expecting. The girl placed two hands on the hilt and swung behind her, catching both men in the neck. Bright red blood poured from the wound in their necks, quickly soaking their shirts. Both men went down at the same time.

Standing in the threshold was Bjorn trying to catch his breath, blood covering his face, similar to the men. His shirt was cut exposing the gash across his stomach, and his eyes were wide. He looked genuinely worried and shocked and joyous, all in one. On the floor, laid Erelander, a huge ax sticking from the side of his head. Bjorn stepped into the room, and the two quickly embraced. She had never been that scared in her life. The girl soon felt something wet drop into her hair. She realized he was crying. However, his voice showed no sign of tenderness, "I thought you were dead."

"Me too." Hilda held her tears back, not letting them fall. She pulled away and looked up at him. There were no longer tears in his eyes, only thin white paths where his tears had rolled down his bloody cheeks. Her gaze shifted to his lips and then back to his brilliant blue eyes. He was looking at her lips too. Bjorn met Hilda's eyes. Suddenly he moved toward her, and she knew he was going to kiss her. The girl felt his lips touch hers. They didn't feel like they had on their wedding day. Before his lips only felt like a pair of lips on hers, now they felt like something more. He fell away from her and Hilda found herself wanting more of his kisses. A smile passed over her face as she pulled him in for more, her fist tightly wrapped in his torn shirt. She could taste the blood on his lips and loved every minute of it. Bjorn's large hands were at her biceps, moving the both of them back onto their bed. Hilda sat on her elbows as Bjorn stood in between her legs and took off his shirt. They were locked in a gaze. His hands pushed up her dress as he knelt on his knees in front of her. Hilda examined the ceiling while moans of ecstasy escaped her breath. The girl clutched the furs beneath her as the building up her lower stomach released, causing her back to arch. Bjorn gave her a demand in norse as he stood up, his pupils larger than normal. After a few seconds of no response from Hilda, the man took matters into his own hands and flipped her over onto his stomach, entering her in what seemed to be one movement. Hilda let out a small sound and laid her face on the bed.

Afterward, the girl straddled Bjorn applying some of her ointments to his wound. His hands massaged her thighs affectionately. They had both cleaned themselves up some but had failed to clean the bloody mess in their chambers. However, they didn't care. They only cared about each other.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys! I was not expecting it to take so long to get this chapter out but hey, at least it's out now. By the way, I did not feel like going through and scanning for grammar mistakes or anything but I might do this later, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.**

 **Special thanks to all who reviewed:** Slytherin Studios, Midgetnumber9, HermoineandMarcus, OneForTheRoad, Mia, Maryia, Amore1993, Guest(June 15), Georgie29, Elspeth, Guest(June 18), tenshi92392, RyanClarke, Guest(July 6), MinhaJubsFavorita, xXxAngel-With-A-ShotgunxXX, annagibson072, Guest(Aug 18), Littledot, VIKINGARMY, Guest(Oct 6), Julya, Guest(Nov 19), SOAROCKS, Guest (Dec 29), Kate, and non of ur business sorry

 **Courtney Eaton= Vena**

* * *

"Miss Hilda."

For a second the princess believed she was back in Wessex. She could practically feel her satin sheets and the humidity in the air. Elda was waking her, attempting to get her to start her day. The girl would often time put up a fight to the old woman, refusing to leave the comfort of her bed. She would groan and hide and pull her sheets over her head to escape the light pouring in from the window. Elda would tsk at her and sigh, complaining about how she had to deal with the girl's childish behavior every day.

Hilda, lost in her sleepy thoughts, pulled her blankets over her head, trying to get away from Elda's voice. Except, this time her sheets were made of fur instead of silk and there was a severe frostiness in the air.

"Miss Hilda." The voice wasn't Elda's. It was younger and softer. Hilda opened her eyes and peeked out from under her blankets. A girl was standing over her. Her brown hair fell over her shoulder and brushed against the fur blankets. She lightly smiled as Hilda stared up at her with confused eyes.

"Who are you?" Hilda still refused to remove the blankets, only revealing her eyes.

"My name is Alvena, but I am called Vena." the girl blinked heavily and bowed her head. "I was sent here as a gift for King Ragnar, but he gave me to you."

After a few seconds of silence Vena placed her hands on her skirt, she nodded her head toward the other side of the room. "I've drawn you a bath."

The thought sounded tempting to the girl. She couldn't seem to get warm without Bjorn in the bed, and the hot waters seemed nice.

"Is it warm?"

Vena nodded and smiled politely. "Yes, here let me help you get undressed." She lightly tugged on Hilda's blanket, and the girl pushed it off of herself.

The princess' skin immediately met the crisp cold air. Vena helped take her nightgown off and laid it on the bed before gesturing to the tub near the fire. The room was cleaned up from the night before. Blood no longer stained the floors. _Vena must have cleaned it up,_ the girl thought to herself.

Hilda tiptoed across the cold floor before placing her feet inside the warm clear waters. Before she sat down, the girl caught her reflection. She saw a woman with blood covering her face like a thick blanket. Hilda nearly cursed at the heinous sight. V _ena must think she is a witch of some sort; she is probably scared._ Hilda dunked underneath the water before rising above the surface and pushed the water from her face back through her hair. The water began to turn pink. Hilda glanced up at Vena wanting to see her reaction. She didn't seem phased by it at all. The slave picked up a small rag from the ground and dipped into the bath, before wringing it out with her hands. Her nimble fingers held the cloth as she scrubbed into the princess's fair skin, ridding her of any dried blood.

Hilda closed her eyes and fell back into her dream of Wessex. She longed to feel the day embrace her with warmth. The girl imagined herself back in her chambers, glancing at the small patch of sunlight that poured through her window, the small pieces of pollen swimming in the stream of light. All she had felt for the last six months was the icy wind that would take her breath away and the dull gray sun bringing the slightest of warmth, and she was beginning to become desperate for that feeling again.

Hilda opened her eyes and reminded herself of her location. She began to think about Bjorn and where he goes off to every morning. She always assumed he was helping his father or someone around the village.

Just then, Bjorn stormed in. His face, furrowed into a deep scowl. Hilda began to worry that something had happened.

"What's the matter, Bjorn?"

The man shook her off, "Nothing."

Bjorn passed by the bath and Hilda took the opportunity to grab his forearm. She stood from the waters to look him in the eye. She repeated her words more firmly this time, "What is the mat..." Hilda breath caught in her throat as his neck revealed a few violet bruises, shaped as small ovals. _She didn't kiss his neck last night._ As she looked closer, she began to see bite marks.

Bjorn jerked his arm away, peering back at her waiting for a reaction.

"I thought..." The girl trailed off.

"What? That I was going to stop fucking her?" Bjorn paused with no emotion in his face. Hilda flinched at his harsh words.

"Why? Because of last night?"

Hilda didn't respond.

"I love her."

Hilda glanced up at him. "And what about me?"

Bjorn pursed his lips and then opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He shook his head as he turned toward the door. Hilda, defeated, sat back down in the bath. The door slammed behind him, and the girl jumped at the sound.

Vena began to wash Hilda's hair, and the princess suddenly began to contemplate Ragnar's proposal to her, thinking of ways to get back at Bjorn. She wasn't even sure if he meant it, but she wondered if it was possible to have a relationship with the King. Suddenly, a question popped into her head and simultaneously fell upon her lips, "Vena do you think that King Ragnar would make love to me if I asked him to? He has made a proposition to me before and —"

Before Hilda could even finish her sentence, Vena answered confidently, "Yes, he would. I believe he is fond of you."

The great hall was full of liveliness. Tall Northmen filled the center, creating a thick crowd of furs and muscles that Hilda had a difficult time looking over. However, the girl managed to catch a glimpse of a red head of hair lingering near the throne and tried to shuffle her way through the group. As she slid through the people, getting knocked in the shoulder a few times, she could begin to see what everyone was crowding around.

Along the wall was a line of slaves and in front of them was an arrangement of different animals ranging from chickens to horses. Suddenly the smell of animal shit hit her and the girl couldn't help but cover her nose.

"Get those animals out of here! Who put them in here?" Aslaug stood up from the throne and cursed at the servants who quickly scurried away, leading the animals out to a nearby barn. Hilda didn't necessarily need to know the language to understand what Aslaug was saying, but the lessons Athelstan had been giving her allowed her to understand keywords.

"What is all this?" Hilda asked in broken Norse.

Aslaug stared at the girl for a few moments, her head slightly cocked. She was visibly confused.

Hilda opened her mouth to speak, but Aslaug interrupted her, her face lighting with sudden understanding.

"Ah, these are the new King's gifts from local earls." It seemed Aslaug was going to say something but instead looked Hilda up and down quietly before returning to her throne.

"Where is he? The king."

Aslaug shrugged, "I do not know. Ask Athelstan."

Hilda was about to ask where she could find Athelstan but decided it would be best to just find him on her own.

The girl exited the great hall and soon found herself wandering around the market, quietly searching. She didn't know where Athelstan would be. She brushed her hand lazily across newly made furs for sale and examined the crowds around her. The man selling the furs smiled and attempted to sell her one. Hilda smiled back but quickly refused the offer. She had plenty of fur in her chambers.

"Are you sure you don't want one? They are quite beautiful." The familiar voice did not come from the merchant but instead a man beside her. Hilda looked over to find the priest.

"There you are! I've been searching for you. Do you know where Ragnar is?"

Athelstan's eyes scanned her face, hesitation flooding them. "Yes I saw him near his old farmhouse, why?"

Hilda could feel the heat rise to her cheeks. Even she wasn't entirely sure why she wanted to visit Ragnar. "No particular reason. It seems he disappeared lately."

Athelstan nodded in agreeance, "Yes, it does seem so. Here, I will take you there."

As they walked through the streets, the two remained mostly silent, occasionally taking up a small conversation. Hilda would glance at the man from the corner of her eyes whenever he wasn't looking. The girl took notice of the little things that had changed in the last few months since they had arrived at Kattegat such as the small beard he was beginning to grow. She admired his handsomeness without the usual fluttering occurring in her stomach. Hilda had recently realized he was never going to look at her the way she wanted him to.

The two walked along a worn path that curved around the sides of farmhouses. To the left of them was a large, steep hill that leads to the beach below. Ragnar was sitting in the sand, his arm resting on his bent knee, staring at the waves as they crash against the shoreline. He appeared to be lost in thought. Hilda thanked Athelstan for taking her to him and watched as he walked away before cautiously descending the rocky hill.

She expected Ragnar to turn around and look at her, but he never did. He just continued to stare out into the ocean. The girl finally reached him and sat down next to him in the sand. She watched as Ragnar discreetly wiped tears out of his eyes. Was he crying? Hilda continued to examine him until he looked at her. The girl didn't say anything when he finally did. His eyes looked like two blue stones staring back at her. They were beautiful.

"I never wanted to be King" Ragnar muttered under his breath, nearly inaudible to the girl over the crashing of waves.

Without hesitation, Hilda placed her lips against Ragnar's. She felt him kiss her back and when she started to pull away, Ragnar pulled her in by her neck for another kiss. This time, Hilda seemed to feel herself lift from her body as if she wasn't the one kissing him. She watched as he and her bodies got closer, increasing the intensity of the situation. Ragnar's hand bunched up her dress around her waist as the other laid the girl back against the sand. Hilda watched from above herself as the two made love over and over again.

Once they were still, lying naked in each other's arms, Hilda returned to her own.

"We can't do this ever again."

The princess looked into his blue eyes from her position on his chest.

Ragnar didn't say anything to this, but his look told her he accepted how she felt whether he agreed with it or not.


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: Hey guys sorry this took so long! But I have been beyond busy. I have had finals, a play, and moving out of the country all in the last month. I also managed to rewrite chapter 6 and 7, so go back and look at those if you would like. I am actually writing to you guys from Iceland! I will be an au pair for the next 2 months so i will have lots of free time. I want to say a sincere thank you to all who reviewed:_** _Mia, Lola Tudor, Belladonna007, One for the Road, MinaJubsFavorita, anella25, Shantigal, Guest (Feb 5), AnetKa7474, CinnamonTeaz, Winter kiss, Guest (Feb 27), Erika, Lorelei Candice Black, Eliza, and Littledot_

 ** _I wanted to say a special thanks to_** _The Loki Experience **for the awesome review and inspiring me to rewrite chapter 6 and 7. I like them so much better now. You would also be happy to know that I have invested in a Grammarly subscription so I really hope my grammar is better.**_

 _ **Let me know what you guys think!**_

 _ **Ellie:)**_

* * *

 _… months later..._

"You come back here, Ubbe" Hilda shouted in norse to the child.

Ubbe let out a high pitch scream as she reached for the back of his shirt. He narrowly missed her hand and ran away, Hvitserk at his side.

Hilda stopped to catch her breath. Vena came running to her side, also trying to catch her breath.

"Those boys are quick," Vena said as she laughed.

Hilda laughed along with her, "Yes, they —" She caught sight of Bjorn and Porunn kissing. They were standing very close together, their hips practically touching. They very much appeared to be in love.

Vena quickly caught on to why the princess had stopped talking. The slave suddenly and aggressively hooked her arm in Hilda's and began to walk toward the couple. Hilda resisted the girl as she didn't know what Vena planned to do. The princess glanced behind her at the ships lining the shore. She watched as Rollo and Athelstan loaded the ships for their voyage back to Wessex. Hilda glanced back at Vena's presumed targets. They were unaware the two were approaching them. She watched as Porunn placed her hand gently around Bjorn's defined jawline, letting her fingers brush against his blonde stubble. Hilda suddenly got a vision of herself holding an ax above her head and coming down onto those little fingers. Blood sprayed back onto Hilda's face, and Porunn's cries rang through the air.

Hilda was pulled back into reality as Vena spit right into Porunn's hair. The former slave let out a dramatic gasp as she pulled away from Bjorn to inspect the substance in her hair. Bjorn gave Hilda the meanest glare she had ever seen. However, Hilda could only feel a giggle escape her throat.

"Control your slave." Bjorn spat through his teeth.

Hilda chuckled in response to Porunn's reaction, she glanced at Bjorn dismissively, "I could say the same to you, sweet husband." She grasped his chin between her thumb and finger and moved it to get a better look at his love bites. Hilda ran her fingers along them, indicating that that is what she meant. "Come on Vena" the princess called without looking at her servant. "Let's go help Rollo and Athelstan." She looked Bjorn in his cold eyes and gave him a small smile. He reciprocated with a glare.

The two girls turned on their heels and began to walk toward the ships. Vena let out a giggle once they got far enough away. Hilda laughed, "I cannot believe you did that. You are a brave girl."

Vena smiled and placed her hand gently on Hilda's arm, "They both deserve it. They are too public with their affair."

Hilda stepped onto the dock, and it creaked underneath her weight, "Yes, I agree," she said.

Rollo looked over at the two and threw his hands up as if to embrace them, "Hilda! Vena!" He smiled as they stepped down into the boat. Hilda watched as he scanned her body as she walked closer to him. The princess scolded him in her head. _He shouldn't do that in public, someone might notice._ Athelstan and Vena went off on their own, leaving the two by themselves.

"How are you?" Rollo asked and sat down on a nearby trunk.

Hilda followed suit, sitting directly across from him. Her nerves were starting to work her. She didn't know how he would react to her news. "I'm well. Although I do have something to tell you."

Rollo's smile disappeared from his face.

"I'm with child." Hilda analyzed his face for a reaction.

His eyes got wide, and his mouth remained in a straight line, "Is it mine?"

Hilda became shocked; she didn't think he would believe that "No, no, I suspected it before we—" she trailed off, "but I don't know if the father is Bjorn or Ragnar."

Rollo remained worried looking; his hands moved to his hips.

"What's wrong, I told you-you are not the father?" Hilda asked in confusion.

"Bjorn told me today Porunn is pregnant also."

"Oh" Hilda was slightly shocked and she didn't know why. She should have seen this coming. Certainly, they were having sex. She had even seen them having sex before. She knew having sex lead to having babies. "I need to talk to Ragnar."

"To tell him you are with child?

Hilda glanced at Rollo curiously, " I haven't decided."

* * *

The door softly closed behind her. She hadn't intended for it to be quiet but it just happened that way. The girl walked farther into the King's chambers. Hilda realized he was in the bath, although she was far enough back that she couldn't see any part of him she didn't want to. Ragnar's eyes appeared closed, his head leaning back against the wooden frame of the bath. Hilda studied his face. He looked worn. The past few weeks had been hard on him, preparing for the voyage. His lips were slightly parted, revealing his perfect white teeth. Hilda suddenly realized there was a slight movement toward the middle of the bath, making small waves in the water. Finally, she realized what he was doing.

"Oh!" Hilda turned around, heat rising to her cheeks. She could hear behind her Ragnar jumping up from the bath and dripping onto the floor.

After a few moments, he spoke, "You can turn around now" Hilda was cautious as she turned around. Ragnar had a blanket wrapped around his waist, his stomach still glistening with water. "It's not like you haven't seen it before Princess." He chuckled at his joke but Hilda did not find it funny.

"Well, I do not wish to see it again." Hilda could still feel her cheeks hot with embarrassment.

"Ah, yes, I've heard you have moved on to my brother."

Hilda gave him a glare. "It is not true. He is with Siggy. He loves Siggy." She could tell Ragnar did not believe it. _Where did he hear it from anyways?_ Hilda thought to herself. "The boats are being loaded." She couldn't help but scan him the same way Rollo had done earlier.

Ragnar smiled and stepped within a few inches from Hilda, "Is that the only reason you came to see me?"

Hilda turned her head, to where they were only a few inches away from each other. Their mouths were only inches from kissing. She thought about telling him right then and there that she was pregnant, spoiling the seduction that ensued between them. But she decided otherwise, "that was it."

* * *

Hilda could feel the heat begin to burn her skin as they docked in Wessex. She was so glad to feel the sun envelop her in warmth finally. Her nose had felt tender to the touch and she could already imagine it to be as pink as a rose.

Hilda examined the coastline for people she might know. Most of the people along the coast did not seem thrilled at the idea of the Vikings arriving, even if they had their princess in tow. Finally, she saw the familiar busty woman who she had missed the most. "Elda!" She shouted as the boat was being tied down to the dock. The girl was the first one off the ship and ran straight into Elda's arms. Next to her was Aethelwulf, her brother, who she had surprisingly missed. Elda held her in her arms and Hilda took in her familiar smell. It reminded her so much of home. She felt something wet on her face and realized Elda was crying. "Oh, it's okay Elda." Hilda tried to comfort the woman.

Aethelwulf placed a hand on his sister's back, "I'm glad you're back." That was as affectionate as he would get. "Come on we have horses waiting."

* * *

King Ecbert held a great feast for the arriving Northmen and the return of his daughter. There were mounds of food and barrels of alcohol, which the Northmen all took as much as they could. Hilda was stuffed with as much food as she could eat and was working on the alcohol. She watched her brother hold his son and observed the baby's mannerisms. She was going to have her baby soon, one that would look like her and Bjorn; Or her and Ragnar. Hilda was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts as her brother asked her a question.

"What?" she asked.

"Do you want to hold him?" Hilda was surprised by the question and she didn't know why. She should hold him. She needed to get used to holding a baby.

Suddenly Bjorn spoke, "Can I hold him?"

Aethelwulf seemed hesitant but handed him over to the big brute.

The baby looked so small and frail compared to Bjorn and his huge hands. The man held out his pinky to the baby and the baby grasped it with his tiny hand. Hilda couldn't help but smile.

"So, Hilda are you with child?" King Ecbert asked from across the table.

Hilda could feel the heat rise to her face. She didn't know what to answer. She hadn't told anybody but Vena and Rollo. It would be a surprise to Bjorn and Ragnar.

"Yes." Hilda could see in the corner of her eye, Bjorn's mouth drop open. Ragnar remained stoic. However, she could see in his eyes he was shocked and maybe even mad.

"I take it you didn't tell your husband the news." King Ecbert giggled along with Aethelwulf. Hilda shook her head.

Bjorn handed Aethelwulf's son back to him hastily. "We will be back." Bjorn didn't touch her but got up from his chair and stared back at her, insisting she would follow him. Hilda looked up at Ragnar and met his eyes. He still had the same fire behind his eyes that he had moments ago. She set down her cloth and got up from her seat in a slow and poised way. The couple stepped a few feet away into the hallway of the villa.

"What is it Bjorn" Hilda knew what he wanted to talk about exactly.

"You're pregnant and you didn't tell me?"

"You didn't say to me that Porunn was pregnant."

"That is because that is not your business, Hilda." She felt like she was fourteen again in her Father's baths.

"How is that not my business? How do you plan to raise two children? Do you want her to come live with us? We can all share a bed too!" Hilda threw up her hands and she started to walk away.

"Hilda!" Bjorn called after her but she kept walking. She didn't know where she was going but she knew she wanted to get away from him. _How dare he say that to her_ , she thought. The girl was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol. The room was starting to spin slightly and Hilda's head felt heavy.

Soon she found herself in her father's Roman baths, her wet clothes stuck to her body. She had gotten in with all of her clothes. Hilda realized this and begun to take them off when the door opened and her father walked in. A wave of nausea hit her like a wall. It moved through every part of her. "What are you doing here?" She spat in her father's direction. The girl pulled her dress back down into the water so that her body was covered.

"Well, these are my baths, Hilda." He snickered in response.

The girl rolled her eyes and stepped out of the waters, making a puddle every step she took. She got to the door and her father grasped her arms, "Why don't you stay?" His glare was fierce and she knew he was serious. A small hint of her past-self came back; she didn't want to disobey him. For a second she almost talked herself into staying and just enduring whatever he had for her. But then she thought about how women were treated equally in the North. And how she doesn't deserve how her father treats her.

"No, I will not." Hilda yanked her arms away and proceeded into the hallway. She could see her father stare at her out of the corner of her eye as she passed him but she disregarded his drilling eyes. He will not make me feel like shit, Hilda thought to herself. She exited the room and continued down a series of hallways until she got to her chambers. There she found Elda setting up the bed.

"Elda! I'm so happy to see you!" Hilda drunkenly hugged the old lady from behind.

"Oh, hello dear." Elda patted her arm with her delicate hands. As she was leaning on Elda's back, Hilda spotted a bottle of wine in the corner of the room. She made a loud sound and then made her way to the bottle of wine. The girl hastily poured herself a glass. Just then Bjorn stumbled in. He also appeared to be intoxicated. Hilda held her glass to her lips and sipped on her wine as Bjorn stumbled over to her and Elda exited the room.

"I am sorry" Bjorn placed his hands on her crossed arms but she wasn't sure if it was a loving gesture or if he was doing it for balance. He waited for a second and then scanned her body with his eyes, "Gods, you are beautiful." Bjorn leaned in to kiss Hilda but she moved away.

"You are drunk, Bjorn" He seemed offended by this.

"So are you."

Hilda giggled, "Yes, I suppose I am but that doesn't mean I want to have sex with you. The things you said were hurtful. And besides, I don't want you to come back and say it didn't mean anything. I'm not fucking you until you say you no longer love Porunn."

By this point, Bjorn appeared to throw a fit, " You are acting childish Hilda! It doesn't work like that. I can't just turn off my feeling for her." He put hands up to his face and fell backward onto the bed that Elda had just made up.

"That is not my problem. You can only have one of us. Me or Porunn?" She was sure he would choose Porunn.

"I sleep with you every night. Isn't that enough?"

Hilda nearly laughed, "Yeah and then you go fuck her in the morning. Why don't you go find her if you want to have sex so bad?"

Bjorn suddenly sat up as if he hadn't thought about that himself. He cocked his head, "Fine, I would rather have sex with you but if you will not let me, I will go find her." He left the room with the close of the door leaving Hilda by herself. She thought about his last words; _I would rather have sex with you_. For some reason, this brought joy to Hilda. She felt wanted and knew that she could use this against him as a tactic to get her way. Although he was still having sex with Porunn, she felt confident she could eventually get him to leave her.

Hilda took off her wet dress and changed into a nightgown. She crawled into bed and shut her eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep, dreaming of what it would be like to have Bjorn to herself.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Next chapter they will be going to war with Mercia and Hilda will be tagging along to help with the medical side of things.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoyed! Let me know how you feel about this chapter!**_


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